This recipe for pumpkin bread is unlike one you may have tried before. Most pumpkin breads are more like sweet cake than bread. This recipe makes a traditional loaf of bread that’s slightly sweet and absolutely wonderful toasted and served with jam or preserves.

You will need a cup of pumpkin puree to make the bread (using a liquid measuring cup). If using fresh pumpkins, be sure to roast them before pureeing to bring out the natural sweetness. Each pound of fresh pumpkin should yield about a cup of puree.

Pumpkin Bread – Psomi me Kolokitha

Prep Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes

Yield: One loaf – about 1 1/2 lbs.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups bread flour

1 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. sugar

1 envelope active dry yeast, (1/4 oz.)

1 cup pumpkin puree, (use liquid measure)

2 tbsp. milk

2 tbsp. butter, melted (plus more for brushing pan)

1/2 cup lukewarm water

1 egg, beaten with a splash of water

Preparation:

Note:If you are using fresh pumpkin, you will need to roast the cleaned pumpkin in a preheated 400-degree oven for about 45 minutes or until the flesh is tender and beginning to caramelize.

After the pumpkin cools a bit, peel the skin away from the flesh using a sharp paring knife and cut into cubes. Process the pumpkin cubes in a food processor or blender until smooth. Place the puree in a strainer lined with cheesecloth to drain excess water.

Sift the flour together with the salt. Add the sugar and the yeast and mix well. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the pumpkin, milk, and melted butter. Mix well. If the dough seems dry, add a bit of the lukewarm water until you have moist and pliable dough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth. (You can add a little more water if the dough seems stiff or dry.)

Shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl covered with plastic wrap. Keep the dough in a warm spot and allow it to rise until double in size, about an hour.

Turn the dough out again onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly. Brush a 1 1/2 lb. loaf pan (approximately 10 x 5 x 3 inches) with melted butter. Shape the dough into a loaf and place it in the pan.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Allow the loaf to rise almost to the top of the pan.

Brush the top with beaten egg and bake 10 minutes at 400 degrees. After 10 minutes, lower the temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for an additional 25 – 30 minutes.

If the top of the loaf begins to brown too much, you can cover the pan with aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.